Study looks at benefits of imaginary friends

The days when concerned parents refuse to set a dinner place for their child's imaginary friend may be numbered.

Researchers are investigating whether having an imaginary friend might help children to develop language skills, boost creativity and retain knowledge.

Research suggests that as many as one in four children may have an invisible friend or one that takes the form of a toy or doll.

Anna Roby, a research assistant at the Max Planck Child Study Centre in Manchester, is looking for parents from the region who have children with imaginary companions.

"We are getting together a group of 20 children with imaginary friends and 20 without. Then for the study we will ask them to do tasks to try and establish whether there are differences in language skills and other areas," she said.

"Children with these kinds of companions have strong imaginations and are often very creative, which can be really useful to them as they develop."

One of her supervisors, Dr Evan Kidd, said: "We are very interested in the outcome of this study ... if Anna's theories are correct they will help reverse common misconceptions about children with imaginary friends, as they come to be seen as having an advantage rather than anything to worry about."

Ms Roby said that it was difficult to tell in young children where the realms of fantasy and play ended, where reality began, and how real imaginary friends were to them.

"Some of them definitely appear to see them ... I think that they are not a problem in general although I can see that a parent may be worried if someone was 15 still had an imaginary friend."

Ms Roby said that imaginary friends "come in all shapes and sizes, some live in castles, some in the forest ... they become consistent characters, and mum will know what their names are".

Ms Roby did not have an invisible friend when she was growing up, but her brother did. She conceded that imaginary friends might not be assets for a child in a confrontation with a bully.

· If you live in the Manchester area and have a child with an imaginary friend and might want to take part in the study you can contact Anna Roby by emailing anna.roby@manchester.ac.uk